Be ready to drop your to-do lists with these thriller K-dramas that will keep you preoccupied from start to finish.
Korean dramas are known for their variety of romance stories, so much so that they have thousands of fans worldwide. However, it’s not always sunshine and kilig that K-shows bring to the table. Thriller Korean dramas have been rising in the industry consistently over the years.
If you’re in the mood to get the chills and have your hearts racing in suspense, here are 10 thriller K-dramas worthy of binge-watching!
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1. Flower of Evil (2020)
First on our list of Korean dramas for thriller enthusiasts is Flower of Evil.
This is a reunion between Criminal Minds stars Lee Joongi and Moon Chaewon. Cha Jiwon (played by Moon) is a detective married to Baek Heesung (played by Lee) and with their daughter, they are the picture of a perfect and happy family.
Things start to change when Jiwon begins investigating a series of murders which leads her to discover that Heesung, her seemingly perfect husband, may be hiding sinister secrets from her.
2. Big Mouth (2022)
Park Changho (Lee Jongsuk) is an underperforming lawyer whose “all-talk” nature earned him the nickname ‘Big Mouth.’ One day, he gets framed for being the swindler called ‘Big Mouse’, landing him in a life-threatening situation.
With the wrong accusation against Changho, it’s now up to Go Miho (YoonA) to prove her husband’s innocence. With its promising lead cast, Big Mouth is a binge-worthy drama.
3. Signal (2016)
This widely acclaimed drama tells the story of Park Haeyoung (Lee Jehoon), a criminal profiler. Despite his job, he distrusts the police due to an incident in his childhood in 2000. One day, he picks up a walkie-talkie, which connects him to detective Lee Jaehan (Cho Jinwoong), who is actually from the year 2000.
They are joined later by Cha Soohyun (Kim Hyesoo), and together they solve cold cases that have been unsolved for years. As Haeyoung and Soohyun helped Jaehan solve cases in the year 2000, consequences arose as the changes made in the past emerged.
4. Sweet Home (2020)
This Netflix drama with a star-studded cast brings thriller, horror, action, and fantasy into a great mix. Song Kang plays recluse Cha Hyunsu, who moves into a small apartment after being the lone survivor of a family tragedy.
Shortly after moving, monsters begin to appear throughout the city, and it’s up to Hyunsu and his fellow residents to fight together and survive. Actors Lee Jinwook, Lee Siyoung, Lee Dohyun, Go Minsi, and Park Gyuyoung play some of the fan-favorite characters.
In late 2023, the much-anticipated season 2 was released. The final and third season of Sweet Home is now available for streaming exclusively on Netflix.
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5. Save Me (2017)
Next on our list of thriller Korean dramas is Save Me.
Before It’s Okay Not To Be Okay shot her to stardom, Seo Yeaji starred in this thriller alongside 2PM’s Taecyeon and actors Jo Sungha and Woo Dohwan. Based on the webcomic Out of the World, this drama chronicles the story of Sangmi (Seo Yeaji), who moves into Muji County after her father’s failed business.
Following a family tragedy, her vulnerable parents get lured into joining a cult. Years later, at a chance encounter with Sanghwan (Taecyeon), she whispers to him, “Save me.” This launches Sanghwan and his friends into working to save Sangmi and expose the cult to their county.
6. Voice (2017)
Jang Hyuk and Lee Hana star as the “Golden Time Team” in this crime-thriller drama. Moo Jinhyuk (Jang) is a detective who lives in guilt because, despite gaining a reputation for solving major cases, he’s unable to save his wife from being murdered.
Kang Kwon Joo (Lee), on the other hand, is a professional voice profiler who was once a 112 emergency call operator who, in the past, heard her police sergeant father being killed through the phone. Three years after their tragedies, Jinhyuk and Kwonjoo team up to solve cases together and chase the serial killer responsible for the deaths of their loved ones.
7. Mouse (2021)
In this thrilling story, Lee Seunggi plays the role of Jeong Bareum, a rookie police officer. Along with Detective Go Moochi (played by Lee Heejoon), he attempts to catch a psychopathic serial killer.
This drama, inspired by the Incheon Elementary School Murder case in 2017, is the perfect show for viewers who enjoyed dramas like Signal, Beyond Evil, and Tunnel, to name a few. The excellent acting of Lee Seunggi and Lee Heejoon takes the viewers on a thrilling ride as they try to understand psychopathic behaviors.
8. The Girl Who Sees Smells (2015)
Based on the KTOON Webtoon of the same name, this drama stars Shin Sekyung and Park Yoochun. Choi Eunseol (played by Shin) miraculously survives the “Barcode” murder case but wakes up from her coma with no memory and only a unique ability to “see” smells. On the other hand, Choi Moogak (played by Park) loses his sister to the barcode serial killer and the trauma eventually leaves him to lose all his senses.
Three years later, the two meet through a series of events. At the same time after Eunseol and Moogak start to work together, the barcode serial killer seems to reappear. It’s now up to Moogak to join the investigation to catch the culprit and get justice for his sister’s demise.
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9. Memorist (2020)
Yoo Seungho and Lee Seyoung star in this drama based on a Daum webtoon of the same name. Dong Baek (Yoo Seungho) can read people’s memories. He uses this to solve crimes as a police force detective. When serial murders arise, he partners with Han Sunmi (Lee Seyoung), a criminal profiler.
The drama takes the viewers on an unexpected journey when Dong Baek and Sunmi begin to unravel things from their past while trying to pursue the killer at present.
10. Hell Is Other People (2019)
Also referred to as Strangers From Hell, this psychological thriller is based on the Naver webtoon of the same name. Additionally, this drama marked Im Siwan‘s first project after his mandatory military enlistment. Acting alongside him is top-notch actor Lee Dongwook. The two play as neighbors, Yoon Jongwoo and Seo Moonjo, respectively.
A twenty-something young man, Yoon Jongwoo, moves to Seoul for a job. He subsequently ends up at Eden Studio, a cheap apartment where he’s forced to stay because of its price, despite his uncanny neighbors. Despite its poor quality, Jongwoo tolerates living at the studio until he earns more. However, a series of mysterious occurrences make him fear his neighbors.
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Suffice it to say, there are lots of other great thriller K-dramas that are not covered by this list. After all, writers and directors are all coming up with new ways to boggle our minds.
So, what better way to spend time as we wait for stories to give us the chills than to (re-)watch these amazing thriller Korean dramas?
Source: MBC TV, Netflix, OCN, SBS, tvN
